Candidates Charge Through Battleground States On Campaign's Final Day
President Bush and Sen. Kerry finished up their campaigns with intense efforts on much the same turf – even campaigning within blocks of one another in Milwaukee. The AP notes Bush's Monday schedule, which took the President to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Mexico, before a homecoming in Dallas, "was more grueling than any day of the 2000 race." Philadelphia's KYW-TV noted it was Bush's 44th trip to Pennsylvania as president. Bush stressed terrorism at each stop of the 19-hour tour, and in Milwaukee, called Kerry "a wavering, ultra-liberal, 'hall of fame' flip-flopper," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. But while Bush himself remained confident, the Washington Post notes some advisers "expressed worry about the incumbent's prospects on Tuesday."
Sen. Kerry started his Monday in Florida, then hit Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. He finished up his campaign with a late stop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this morning at 2:00, and headed home to Boston. Kerry accused Republicans of playing politics with terrorism, and made a final pitch on domestic issues. He also again called for "a fresh start and new credibility for this country." USA Today notes the "usually verbose Kerry boiled his stump speech down to 15 minutes."
Vice President Cheney hit eight states on his closing 39-hour tour, including a trip to Hawaii, a state that has become surprisingly close. In Hawaii, Cheney compared 9/11 with Pearl Harbor, and, the AP reports, suggested Kerry "neither understands nor has a plan to win today's war on terror." The Washington Post notes Cheney "logged 8,270 miles and 22 1/2 hours aboard Air Force Two" on his final swing.
Sen. Edwards campaigned in Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, and Florida and predicted victory, telling listeners, "Tomorrow, hope will arrive." The Los Angeles Times notes Edwards discussed health care and economic issues, and called for "a fresh start for America with President John Kerry.'"
Nader Faces Hecklers As Campaign Comes To End.
Ralph Nader spoke in New York yesterday, where hecklers called him a "traitor" who could help Bush win re-election. But the Washington Post notes the independent candidate "appears to be making little effort to woo swing state voters in the final hours of his campaign," having gone to the Deep South last week and speaking in the District of Columbia today. The Nader camp denied that their man is deliberately avoiding swing states.
